Ex-players critical of Test recall for twice-retired Yousuf

The Pakistan Cricket Board's move to recall former captain Mohammad Yousuf to the national fold has evoked a strong response from former players, who feels the decision would adversely impact the team's rebuilding process.
Former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir feels the PCB has lost its

The Pakistan Cricket Board's move to recall former captain Mohammad Yousuf to the national fold has evoked a strong response from former players, who feels the decision would adversely impact the team's rebuilding process.

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir feels the PCB has lost its nerves after a crushing 354-run defeat to England in the first Test at Nottingham and decided to summon Yousuf, who was earlier handed an indefinite ban by the Board following team's disastrous tour of Australia.

Yousuf is a twice-retired cricketer. In 2008, he had joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League, thus taking an automatic ban from official cricket. He returned to national colours than a year later. In 2010, after been banned by the PCB he announced his retirement again.

"This decision to summon Muhammad Yousuf and Reza Hasan to England is totally uncalled for and negates the rebuilding process of the national team," Qadir told PTI.

"In my opinion there was no need to panic after the defeat to England, we should have just included Yasir Hameed in the team and reserve wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider. But by summoning Yousuf we are sending out the message that we don't have confidence in our youngsters.

"And if Yousuf can be called up despite not having played any proper cricket since last March then what crime has Younis Khan committed?" added Qadir, also a former chief selector.

In a decision that once again underlined the confusion and chaos prevailing in their management, the PCB announced yesterday that Yousuf and left-arm spinner Reza Hasan would join the team immediately in England.

Former captain Aamir Sohail feels that the Board was taking decisions without proper planning.

"They themselves don't know what they want. They insisted on taking young players instead of Younis and Yousuf to England and now they are backtracking on their decisions after the defeat we suffered," he said.

Sohail also said that he was shocked at the decision to release experienced leg-spinner Danish Kaneria from the touring squad.

"What effect this will have on confidence of Kaneria is easy to guess. He is your most experienced bowler and should have been remained with the team. The coaches should work on building up his confidence," Sohail said. .

Sohail said that while he had no doubt over Yousuf's ability as a Test player, there was a big question mark on his current form and match fitness.

Pakistan was outclassed in the first Test yesterday after being bundled out for just 80 -- their lowest Test total against England, before the lunch on the fourth day.

Youngsters Azhar Ali and Umar Amin and experienced Shoaib Malik -- all failed to click in the match while Umar Akmal has also struggled for runs causing major problems in the Pakistan batting line up.

Another former captain Ramiz Raja said from Nottingham that after the batting collapse in the first Test, Younis Khan also must be immediately summoned to the team.

"Younis must be included in the team. When they can call up Yousuf why not Younis? He is your best batsman at the moment," Raja said.

"It is clear that this inexperienced batting line-up requires an experienced batsman like Younis in the side," he added.

"It was a big mistake to not select these two in the first place and now when they are required them most the Board and selectors are still prolonging the wait on Younis Khan's return when everyone knows he eventually will have to be selected," former chief selector Iqbal Qasim said.

Qasim said it was surprising that despite being the most experienced batsman, Malik preferred batting at number six and seven in the Nottingham Test.

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